"....Solemnizing a Marriage: Couples themselves may solemnize their own marriage (perform one's own marriage ceremony). According to Colorado Revised Statute 14-2-109, a marriage may be solemnized by a judge of a court; by a court magistrate; by a retired judge of the court; by a public official whose powers include solemnization of marriages; by Indian tribe officials; by clergy; by the parties to the marriage. If you wish to solemnize your own marriage, you will be responsible for acquiring, completing and returning the license to marry to the appropriate county Office of the Clerk and Recorder.

Grounds for Annulment: Lack of capacity to consent at time solemnized, under-age (not cured by consent of parents or court), fraud, jest or dare, duress and impotency (unknown to other party at time of marriage), and any prohibited marriage. Sec. 14-10-111. See, "Annulments in Colorado," 22 Colo. Law. 2249 (1993).

Valid: License is valid for thirty (30) days. If either one of you is on probation or parole, you will need special authorization..."

If you are there on a dare or just jesting you have an out (see above).

True Story: My wife and I were married at the Denver City Hall. It was a Sunday and the building was officially closed. The judge my fiancee had engaged for the occasion (and who was supposed to let us into the building) didn't show! There were no cell phones then and she didn't answer her phone either. Luckily, another judge showed up by chance to catch up on some work. Reluctant at first, he agreed and officiated our wedding in his chambers.

It’s been 15 years now and Swarovski already has my number thank you. :)

maybe Althouse found a little-used codicil of Colorado law that lets them marry a tab-delimited list of blog commenters, ("not bigamy, but a distributed data base of love!") so soon we'll ALL be married to Althouse!

Did you know, depending on how you measure, the largest living organism on earth is an Aspen grove? <-- 100% of biological fact (that I heard form an unimpeachable source when I was 10, my older brother.)

I wasn't on the "concerned" follow-up phone call the next day. The judge spaced the appointment completely. Of course she apologized profusely and refunded her fee. The judge who did do it did it pro bono, if I recall correctly.

My husband and I picked a day, and then, on that day, we went down a list calling JPs to see who could do it. After the first few were unavailable we thought that perhaps we should have called in advance. Luckily, there was eventually one willing, and we met her at her office and got married. Hooray!

By the way, whether or not it's the reason Althouse + Meade chose Colorado, the reason I guessed the self-solemnization of marriage right away (see first comment on this post) is because during my and my husband's own run-up to marriage, we considered various possibilities of elopement.

Congratulations. I am guessing that you didn't go for the all singing all dancing wedding party, as seen on YouTube, but then again, one never knows what happens up there in the thin air of the Rockies.

O ETERNAL God, Creator and Preserver of all mankind, Giver of all spiritual grace, the Author of everlasting life; Send thy blessing upon these thy servants, this Man and this Woman, whom we bless in thy Name; that, as Isaac and Rebecca lived faithfully together, so these persons may surely perform and keep the vow and covenant betwixt them made, (whereof this Ring given and received is a token and pledge,) and may ever remain in perfect love and peace together, and live according to thy laws; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Those whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder.

FORASMUCH as Meade and Althouse have consented together in holy Wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, and thereto have given and pledged their troth either to other, and have declared the same by giving and receiving of a Ring, and by joining of hands; I pronounce that they be Man and Wife together, In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

GOD the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, bless, preserve, and keep you; the Lord mercifully with his favour look upon you; and so fill you with all spiritual benediction and grace, that ye may so live together in this life, that in the world to come ye may have life everlasting. Amen.

The trees of the forest are said to sing for joy in the presence of Love.

From my seat in the Cafe these last weeks, I've enjoyed seeing the heavens rejoicing, the mountains standing firm, and the fields being jubilant with everything in them, (from yards and buckets full of flowers to iridescent snakes and mating beetles)

To find a grove of aspens marking your marriage seems especially fitting--as an interconnected community joins in celebrating with you.